{"id":1174478,"date":"2020-11-03T22:15:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-03T22:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1174478"},"modified":"2021-03-30T09:37:23","modified_gmt":"2021-03-30T08:37:23","slug":"atalanta-0-5-liverpool-match-analysis-diogo-jota-rock-n-roll","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/atalanta-0-5-liverpool-match-analysis-diogo-jota-rock-n-roll\/","title":{"rendered":"Diogo Jota shows why some say his ‘technical level’ is a match for Mane, Salah and Firmino in Atalanta 0-5 Liverpool"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a stunning night of football, Liverpool absolutely demolished Atalanta in Bergamo.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jurgen Klopp took a gamble with the starting XI as he dropped Roberto Firmino to play Diogo Jota as part of a fluid attack and the Portuguese rewarded his coach with a devastating performance as he bagged a brilliant hat-trick to power the Reds to a huge win.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest question-marks over the Liverpool side last season was “who would replace Mohamed Salah, Sadio Man\u00e9 or Roberto Firmino if they got injured?” It was a question they never really had to ask, but it hung over the side. Divock Origi would do for the odd game (#CornerTakenQuickly) but over the long grind of a season his talent deficiency was going to be exposed.<\/p>\n

Diogo Jota, then.<\/p>\n

\"Black<\/a>

Black Lives Matter:<\/span> Read more about the cause footballers are taking the knee for<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Signing for Liverpool in the summer for \u00a341m, Jota looked a smart signing from the off. Like Sadio Man\u00e9 he was lithe, quick and possessed great stamina as well as an eye for goal.<\/p>\n

Before he had even debuted, Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders called him a “pressing monster” that would “fit in straight away.” Now these were catchy, Klopp-esque quotes, but what was really eye-popping was when he said<\/a>: “Diogo, what can I say? His technical level is on the same as our front three.”<\/p>\n

That is a massive claim to make about a player, but here we are, not six weeks later, and Diogo Jota has 7 goals in his first 10 games for Liverpool (he reached that milestone faster than anyone has this century). 6 of those have come in his last 4 games, during which he has scored two opening goals, two game-winners and a massive hat-trick. And even his first goal, way back against Arsenal, settled that game. That’s serious production.<\/p>\n

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\u26a0\ufe0f UPDATE \u26a0\ufe0f<\/p>\n

Fewest games to reach 7\u20e3 goals for @LFC<\/a> since 2000:<\/p>\n

10 apps: DIOGO JOTA
12 apps: Fernando Torres
13 apps: Daniel Sturridge
13 apps: Mohamed Salah https:\/\/t.co\/lm2mul2tTp<\/a><\/p>\n

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) November 3, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n